AKC Family Dog
About
“AKC Family Dog is a comprehensive good manners program for all dogs, whether purebred or mixed breed. While participating in enjoyable activities that are fun for both dogs and people, dogs become well-socialized and develop a lifelong bond with their owners. Within the AKC Family Dog organizational umbrella are programs that teach family members how to best communicate with their dog, teaching basic skills and building on these skills as dogs move from one activity to the next. The result is a dog that any owner can be proud to take into the community.” -AKC Family Dog
Our AKC Family Dog Program Offerings
Canine Good Citizen (AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, and AKC Community Canine and Urban CGC, Virtual Home Manners), AKC Trick Dog, AKC FIT Dog, AKC Fetch, and AKC Temperament Test.
AKC Canine Good Citizen™
Approved Evaluation & Training
“AKC Canine Good Citizen™ is an expert-made training program designed to help you and your dog be the best you can be–together.” -American Kennel Club®
-
“ AKC Canine Good Citizen is a ten-skill training program that’s open to all dogs–purebred and mixed breed–that focuses on teaching the basics of good manners and obedience, instilling the values of responsible ownership, and strengthening the bond between you and your dog at home and out in the community." -AKC
Test Requirements
✓ None
Test Items
Accepting a friendly stranger
Sitting politely for petting
Appearance and grooming
Walking on a loose leash
Walking through a crowd
Sit and down on cue and staying in place
Coming when called
Reaction to another dog
Reacting (or not reacting) to a distraction
Supervised separation
-
“AKC Community Canine is the advanced level of AKC’s Canine Good Citizen. AKC Community Canine test is conducted in real life situations." - AKC
Test Requirements
✓Registered or listed with AKC (AKC number, PAL, or AKC Canine Partners number).
✓Already have a Canine Good Citizen award/title on record.
Test Items
Dog stands, sits or lies down and waits under control while the owner..
Walks on a loose leash in a natural situation and does not pull.
Walks on loose leash through a crowd.
Dog walks past distraction dogs present; does not pull.
Sit-stay in small group (two other people with dogs, total of 3 people, 3 dogs in group).
Dog allows person who is carrying something to approach and pet it.
“Leave it.” Dog walks by food and follows owner instructions, “Leave it.”
Down or sit stay — distance.
Recall with distractions present.
Dog will sit or stand stay.
-
"AKC Urban CGC requires that the dog demonstrate CGC skills and beyond in a setting that includes traffic, crowds, noises, smells and other distractions that are present in a city or town." -AKC
Test Requirements
✓Must already have a CGC certificate or title on record at AKC.
✓Must have an AKC number of one of 3 types: AKC registration number, PAL number, or AKC Canine Partners number.
Test Items
Exit/enter doorway with no pulling in dog-friendly buildings.
Walk through a crowd on a busy urban sidewalk.
Appropriate reaction to city distractions.
Crossing street under control.
Ignore food on sidewalk.
Person walks up and pets the dog. May be carrying an item.
Public Building (that is dog friendly). Walks under control in building (slick surface, carpeted floor). Down stay (3 min) in lobby or outdoor area, or waits while owner has a meal or snack.
Stairs, steps, or elevator under control.
House trained for apartment, condo, city living.
Transportation. Owner’s choice depending on transportation needs.
-
“AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is an exciting program designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is an excellent first in-person training class for puppies. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy provides a good lead-in to earning the Canine Good Citizen title.” - AKC
How it works: Attend our AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class with the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy test at the end of the course.
Test Items
Owner Behaviors:
1. Maintains puppy’s health (vaccines, exams, appears healthy)
2. Owner receives Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge
3. Owner describes adequate daily play and exercise plan
4. Owner and puppy attend at least 6 classes by an AKC Approved CGC Evaluator
5. Owner brings bags to classes for cleaning up after puppy
6. Owner has obtained some form of ID for puppy-collar tag, etc.
Puppy behaviors:
7. Free of aggression toward people during at least 6 weeks of class
8. Free of aggression toward other puppies in class
9. Tolerates collar or body harness of owner’s choice
10. Owner can hug or hold puppy (depending on size)
11. Puppy allows owner to take away a treat or toy
-
Virtual Home Manners (VHM) helps you to get started on training your dog to acquire practical skills at home, and it is natural segue into AKC Canine Good Citizen® in-person training
Register your dog with the American Kennel Club.
Evaluation
VHM evaluation will be conducted by video self-submission dog(s) performing the 10 skills from the VHM Check List.
Rates
1 Test Submission
$45 First Dog
Request Test
Contact us for more information.
AKC Trick Dog
Approved Evaluation & Training
“AKC Trick Dog is one of AKC’s most popular training programs because trick training is fun for both dogs and their trainers.” - AKC Trick Dog
-
“You can teach your dog tricks yourself, or you can go to a training class. AKC Trick Dog ranges from very simple novice tricks.” AKC More About Trick Dog
5 TRICK DOG TITLES:
Novice Trick Dog (TKN)
The dog performs 10 skills from the Novice list.. If a dog has a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate or title on record at AKC, it can do 5 Novice tricks (CGC + 5) to earn the Novice title.
Intermediate Trick Dog (TKI)
The dog must have the Novice title, plus perform 10 Intermediate tricks.
Advanced Trick Dog (TKA)
The dog must have the Intermediate title, plus perform 10 tricks from the Advanced list.
Trick Dog Performer (TKP)
In this title, handlers perform a short routine with at least 10 tricks previously learned.
Trick Dog Elite Performer (TKE)
Testing of this truly elite trick dog level requires the dog to perform 10 tricks with at least 5 props and there must be a story.
In-Person Evaluation Rates
$35-$55 In-Person Evaluation
—
Virtual Evaluation Rates
1 Test Submission
$45 - 1 Dog
Request A Virtual Evaluation Test
Contact us for more information and to submit your test.
AKC CGC & AKC Trick Dog Evaluations
In-Person
Evaluations for AKC Canine Good Citizen, Community Canine, and Urban Dog are conducted in-person only. AKC Trick Dog may be evaluated in-person or virtually. In-person evaluations are scheduled on a periodic basis. Check our Class Registration page for updates on our next scheduled evaluations.
Rates
1 Evaluation - 1 Dog: $35.00-$55
Virtual Home Manners & Trick Dog
Evaluations for AKC Virtual Home Manners are conducted virtually. AKC Trick dog Evaluations may be evaluated virtually upon request. Contact us directly for more information and to schedule your evaluation.
Rates
1 Evaluation - 1 Dog: $45
AKC Fit Dog
Approved Instructor
“The AKC FIT DOG is designed to bring fun fitness classes to dogs.” -AKC FIT DOG
-
AKC FIT DOG Purpose
This course is designed to inspire dog owners to engage in fitness-related activities with their dogs while minimizing the risk of injury or harm due to inexperienced instruction.
Class Structure
The classes are provided in 3 levels, with different pre-requisites. To start level 1, It is recommended that participants in the class complete at least a puppy class or the equivalent.
PLEASE NOTE:
AKC Fit Dog is not designed to train you on how to develop fitness programs for dogs or how to work with dogs in need of rehabilitation. This course is only for healthy dogs with no significant prior injuries or ongoing conditions. When in doubt, request a letter from the veterinarian stating the dog is cleared for regular exercise.
Sign up for Class
Check our Class Registration page for updates on our next schedule of AKC fit dog classes.
Learn more about AKC FIT DOG
AKC Fetch
Approved Judge
“AKC Fetch provides a form of exercise for dogs and their owners. Dogs learn new skills and many handlers will learn to teach a skill (i.e., retrieving) they have not previously taught.” - AKC Fetch
-
AKC Fetch Purpose
Designed for all breeds “AKC Fetch titles were created as another activity in which owners could have fun with their dogs in the AKC Family Dog program. Earning AKC Fetch titles provides opportunities for both physical and mental exercise. While some dogs are natural retrievers, AKC Fetch, especially at the advanced levels, will involve teaching new skills such as retrieving.”
About the Test
AKC Fetch is a pass-fail noncompetitive test. The four levels of titles (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Retriever) assess the ability of the dog to retrieve. In the Advanced and Retriever levels, the dog must respond correctly to signals. There is also a memory component in Advanced and Retriever because a retrieving bumper or ball is dropped (or thrown) behind a blind where it cannot be seen.
For each of the four titles, the dog must pass the test twice under two different approved AKC Fetch judges.
Qualifications
Dogs who are at least 6 months of age are eligible to take the AKC Fetch test as long as they are registered or enrolled with AKC and have an AKC, PAL, or AKC Canine Partners number.
Register for the Test
Check our Class Registration page for updates on our next AKC Fetch Test.
Learn more about AKC Fetch
AKC Temperament Test
Approved Evaluator
“The AKC Temperament Test (ATT) was developed to bring focus and provide a meaningful evaluation to assess the temperament of our canine companions.” -AKC ATT
-
ATT Purpose
“The ATT tests how a dog reacts to a variety of stimuli. Desirable traits are that the dog will be emotionally stable, inquisitive, cooperative, appropriately social for its breed, biddable and demonstrates the ability to recover from a startling situation in a reasonable amount of time.
Undesirable traits are fear, shyness, lack of cooperation and an inability to recover from unfamiliar or unexpected situations. Examples of undesirable behaviors include being afraid of friendly strangers or unfamiliar stimuli, obsessive barking, and aggression.”
Evaluation Items
In the ATT, dogs are tested in 6 categories of stimuli that include:
Social
Auditory
Visual
Tactile
Proprioceptive (motion)
Unexpected stimulus
Get Tested
We conduct ATT at licensed AKC clubs. Check our Class Registration page for updates our next schedule of evaluations and locations.
Learn more about AKC FIT DOG